The Louisiana State Senate, which has seen the students demonstrate their impressive knowledge and skills for six years now, passed a resolution commending LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing prior to the visit, and presented the commendation at the health fair. The commendation praised the School of Nursing for “its dedication in educating and inspiring the next generation of nursing healthcare leaders in Louisiana,” and “outstanding work in advancing healthcare practices and nursing education.”
Six different programs within the LSU system were represented at this year’s fair, including the schools of Nursing, Medicine, Dentistry and Allied Health from LSU Health New Orleans, as well as LSU Health Shreveport and Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Of the 55 faculty and students in attendance, the School of Nursing had three faculty members, 10 undergraduate students and one DNP student who volunteered to make the trip.
The nursing students took blood pressure readings, performed glucose and cholesterol screenings and talked with visitors to the fair, while students from other programs conducted a variety of other tests, including vision screenings, skin screenings, bone density tests and other health examinations. Also included in the health fair were cooking demonstrations and presentations on topics like stress education and adult immunizations.
After each legislator and staff member was screened and tested, they were given a personalized handout with their results and other health recommendations that the students from the six schools worked collaboratively to put together.
“It’s a great opportunity for the students to interact with their peers who are studying to become health professionals,” says Stephanie Pierce, PhD, MN, RN, CNE, who was one of the faculty members supervising the students.
“It’s not something the students get to experience every day. And it can help get them used to working in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment, and even inform the direction they want to take their career.”
The legislators responded very positively to the students, according to Dr. Pierce, even more than they responded to the faculty. “They asked the students a lot of questions about what they were learning, and quizzed them on their knowledge,” she says.
A Resource for Legislators
LSU Health is the largest educator of health professionals in the state, and many of the bills passed by the legislature can have an impact on the ability to train nurses and provide care throughout Louisiana and surrounding areas. That’s why it’s so important for legislators to see what the students are learning.
“It’s not something the students get to experience every day. And it can help get them used to working in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment, and even inform the direction they want to take their career.”
Stephanie Pierce, PhD, MN, RN, CNE
“As nursing students, we need to be aware that we have chosen to work in a profession that is regulated by the state, and it is in our best interest to be a visible entity to the legislatures,” says James LaCombe, DNP student in public and community health, who also stressed the importance of making legislators aware of the health research being conducted within the state university system.
The day serves to remind legislators that LSU Health faculty and graduates can be a valuable resource for them when considering legislation for health initiatives or higher education funding – to understand the impact of the bills, and develop innovative solutions. And the day has made some School of Nursing and other LSU Health students interested in becoming more involved with health policy.
“This day is about getting in front of the legislators so they can see the importance of the work we do,” says Dr. Pierce. “And it’s been a tremendous success.”
